Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) provide a potentially unlimited source of oral mucosal tissues that may revolutionize the treatment of oral diseases. When fully exploited in the future, this source of cells will be able to produce functional tissues to treat a broad variety of oral diseases.

Scientists at the 87th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research, convening today in Miami Beach, report new studies on the connection between oral disease and systemic disease.

A guest editorial published in the June issue of the Journal of Dental Research (JDR) celebrates the successes of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) in expanding the understanding of, and improving, oral health in the United States.

A new initiative from Columbia University Medical Center will be the first to target chronic oral health problems in sub-Saharan Africa, where the vast majority of chronic diseases are left undetected and untreated. The initiative is the result of an anonymous $1.5 million gift to support the Millennium Villages, which aims to fight extreme poverty and related challenges such as disease, hunger and lack of access to water and sanitation though scientifically sound and sustainable interventions.

Oral fluids hold promise as a potential alternative to blood as a diagnostic fluid. Currently, diseases like HIV, hepatitis, and certain cancers can be detected through the analysis of oral fluids. In the past, it has been difficult to detect meaningful amounts of disease markers in oral fluids, because they are not always found in the same abundance as in blood.